# How much to compensate an independant sales rep?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-compensate-an-independant-sales-rep/369107>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [August 17, 2006, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-compensate-an-independant-sales-rep/369107 "2006-08-17T17:37:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ShortBus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@ShortBus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShortBus)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-to-compensate-an-independant-sales-rep/369107/1 "2006-08-17T17:37:17Z")

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I recently started a small web design & development that caters to a very specific blue-collar industry niche. One thing I am considering doing is bringing onboard an independant sales rep to drive sales, since like many tech gurus, I’m more comfortable with programming than I am selling. Since the salesperson would be independant, they would be compensated via comission only.

The upfront web design package will be priced at around $3,100, with an additional montly fee of about $300. The monthly fee pays both for hosting, site maintaince, and an Internet marketing and advertising campaign. These are largely cookie-cutter sites designed using highly refined templates. This ought to reduce the sales cycle a bit (and hopefully make them easier to sell?) What percentage of each sale should I offer the sales rep? So I or shouldn’t I offer him/her a percentage of the monthly fees as well? If so, how long do I continue to pay the rep a cut of that monthly fee? Thanks!